Raising awareness of young survivors in an ITV interview

View the ITV News video interview

Shortly after filming the first season of Game of Thrones, Emilia Clarke MBE, known worldwide for her role of Daenerys Targaryen, faced a battle of her own. At just 24, she suffered a devastating stroke, only to endure a second two years later. Her journey highlights a reality often overlooked—brain injuries don’t just impact the elderly. In fact, out of the 100,000 people who suffer strokes each year in the UK, one in four are younger adults.

Emilia’s story is far from isolated; statistics reveal that one in three people will suffer a brain injury in their lifetime. Despite this, young stroke survivors often struggle for adequate support, with many health professionals missing the early signs of stroke in younger patients.

On World Stroke Day, Jenny Clarke brought attention to these issues, underscoring the need for awareness and better care for young stroke survivors.

Jenny says: "The common theme is the lack of understanding that once you have lived and survived the trauma in your brain that you are ok. And that is never the case, you are forever changed."

Through SameYou, the brain injury recovery charity founded in 2019, both Emilia and Jenny are working to make a difference. They were awarded MBEs in February for services to People with Brain Injury at Windsor Castle, recognising their ongoing dedication to improving the lives of survivors.

As they continue to advocate for those facing the challenges of brain injuries, Emilia's story serves as a powerful reminder that stroke can affect anyone, at any age.

Read more on why we are failing young stroke survivors here